Rail brace and support.



No. 70|,442. Patented June 3, I902.

H. P. WILSON.

RAIL BRAGE AND SUPPORT.

(Application filed Nov 29, 1901.)

(No Mqdel.)

('1 Horwug UNITED STATES HAMBLETON P. WILSON, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL B'R-ACE AN D so PPOR-T.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 701,442, dated June 3, 1902. Application filed November 29, 1901. Serial No. 84,158. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HAMBLETON P. WILSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at 1414C Eighth street, Altoona, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail Braces and Supports; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to means for fastening and supporting railway-rails.

The object of the invention is to provide a rail-fastening which shall be simple, cheap,

and durable in construction and use, capable of being easily manufactured and readily and conveniently applied, and adapted to support the rail in such manner as to relieve the tie of wear and prevent indenting of the tie by the rail.

With this and other objects in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in certain novel features of construction and combination and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more f ull ydescribed, defined in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the application of the invention to a tie and rail. Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the rail, showing the tie and fastening in elevation. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the tie on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing a slightly-modified form of fastening adapted for street-railway rails. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing another modification. Fig. 0 is atop plan view of the same.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 represents a wooden railway-tie, 2 a rail of ordinary construction seated thereon, and 3 the fastener.

The fastening comprises in its construction a metallic plate adapted to bear against the side of the tie and provided with openings for the reception of spikes 4. to secure it to the tie. The plate is formed at its opposite ends with laterally-projecting lugs 5, which are bent at right angles to the upper edge thereof and are adapted to bear upon the upper surface of the tie. Adjacent to one of these lugs is formed a brace 6, which projects upwardly from the upper edge of the plate and is shaped to conform to the curvature of the web and base portion of the rail, against one side of which it bears, to hold the rail against movement in a direction longitudinally of the tie and transversely of the track- Way. Between the brace 6 and the opposite laterally-projecting lug 5 the upper edge of the plate is left exposed and is designed in practice and as shown in Fig. 1 to come flush with or to project slightly above the upper surface of the tie 1, so that the base of the rail will rest thereon, as well as on the tie, instead of solely on the tie, thus aifording an extended rigid bearing which sustains a large proportion of the strain and Wear and pre vents indentation and crushing of the ties by the bearing of the rail thereon under the pressure of heavy cars and trains.

The fastening is preferably employed upon opposite sides of the tie 1, the plates being secured to the opposite sides of the tie in such manner that the brace 6 of one fastening will bear against one side of the rail and the corresponding brace of the other fastening against the opposite side of the rail, thus holding the rail against movement in either direction.

The purpose of the lug 6 is to serve as reinforces or braces for the plate 3 to assist the latter in sustaining a partof the load or weight of the rail and to give a largely-increased bearing on the Wooden tie. By this construction and by driving the spikes 4 into the tie at right angles to the line of strain produced by the weight of the cars on the rail a cross strain upon the spikes is produced, which avoids the tendency of drawing the spikes out of the tie or causing them'to work loose, which is adefect inherent with the customary mode of construction.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings a slightly-modified form of fastening is shown, which is adapted particularly for use in connection with streetrailway rails. The construction in'this case is the same as that previously described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, except that the brace 4: is modified in form to correspond to the difference in the shape of the web and base portion of the rail. It is designed in the majority of cases to use the clamps in pairs upon each tie to engage each rail, one of the fastenings being located so as to bear upon one side of the rail and the other upon the opposite side of the rail, as before described; but in some cases a single fastening may be employed upon each tie in connection with each rail, and when this mode of fastening is adopted each plate will be provided, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, with an auxiliary brace 7, which will bear upon the side of the rail opposite the brace 6 and will be secured in position by the spikes at the end of the plate opposite that upon which the said brace 6 is formed, by which means the same result will be secured as in the construction where two fastening-plates are secured upon opposite sides of the tie.

To increase the security of the fastening, the auxiliary brace 7 may be provided with a lateral lug 8 to rest upon the upper surface of the tie to relieve the spikes of strain and to assist the lugs 5 in sustaining the pressure transmitted by the rail to the plate.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, mode of operation, and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent without requiring an extended explanation, and it will be seen that the fastening increases the bearing-surface, avoids the tendency of the loosening of the spikes, strengthens the rail, and prevents the tie from giving under the pressure of the rail and spreading of the rails, so as to produce a perfect roadbed. It will also be seen that by obviating the tendency of the loosening of the spikes and forming a direct metallic surface or seat to sustain the rail indentation and crushing of the tie under pressure and weakening of the same by splitting are effectually avoided.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-- 1. A rail-fastener comprising a plate adapted to bear against the side of a tie and having lateral lugs to rest upon the upper surface of the tie and a brace to bear upon the rail, the upper edge of the plate between the brace and one of the lugs forming a seat for the rail to prevent crushing or indentation of the tie under the pressure of the rail, substantially as described.

2. A rail-fastener comprising a plate adapted to bear against the side of a tie and having. lateral end lugs at its upper edge to bear upon the upper surface of the tie and a rail-brace adjacent to one of said lugs, the said upper edge of the plate between said brace and the opposite end lug forming a bearing-surface adapted to extend flush with or slightly above the upper surface of the tie to assist in supporting the rail, substantially as specified.

3. Arail-fastener comprising aplate adapted to be secured to the side of a tie and having an upper seat or bearing-surface for the rail, lugs extending laterally therefrom to bear upon the upper surface of the tie, a brace to bear upon one side of the rail, and an auxiliary brace adapted to be secured to the plate and to bear upon the opposite side of the rail, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A rail-fastener comprisinga plate adapted to be secured to the side of a tie and having an upper seat or bearing-surface for the rail, lugs extending laterally therefrom to bear upon the upper surface of the tie, a brace to bear upon one side of the rail, and an auxiliary brace adapted to be secured to the plate and to bear upon the opposite side of the rail, said auxiliary brace having a lug to rest upon the upper surface of the tie to supplement the action of the plate-lugs, substantially in the manner set forth.

5. The combination with a tie and rail; of fastening-plates secured to opposite sides of the tie and having braces to bear upon the opposite sides of the rail, said plates having their upper edges forming external bearingsurfaces for the rail and provided with lugs resting upon the upper surface of the tie, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HAMBLETON P. WILSON.

Witnesses:

W. B. HICKS, K. E. CREIGHTON. 

